Holidays – Monday Morning with Mona

Preparing Tamales – Our Holiday Tradition

My family began making tamales back in 1960.I obviously wasn’t a part of the first annual Christmas Eve tamale making event. Even my mother wasn’t around at that time. Many years ago, my dad’s family began making tamales, and the practice stuck. I often wonder if they knew that sixty-two years later the family wouldContinue reading “Preparing Tamales – Our Holiday Tradition”

Healthy Holidays

I know that I am not the only person who loves the holidays. I love them so much that I love to pack in ALL the FUN, and in that packing, I find myself overwhelmed and even a little exhausted. If you are like me, your month of December is jam-packed. It is jam-packed withContinue reading “Healthy Holidays”

Tour of Homes

I think the first Tour of Homes that I ever attended was on Okinawa, and it was December 2019. I had heard of Tour of Homes. They have them on most of the bases, but I was never in any of the clubs that hosted them, and I never felt like I was missing out.Continue reading “Tour of Homes”

Origami Ornament

I don’t do crafts. Well, I don’t do crafts until I’m supposed to be studying for the GRE, and all of a sudden, I become a crafting queen. I know someone out there can relate. What started out as a great idea a couple of months ago became a “well, I invested money in allContinue reading “Origami Ornament”

Christmas Eve & Traditions in Okinawa

60 years ago, my father’s family began a tradition. I don’t know if that year they intentionally created the tradition, or if they did something fun, and decided to do it again the next year, and then the next and then next. Sadly, my dad is no longer with us, so I can’t ask him.Continue reading “Christmas Eve & Traditions in Okinawa”

The Nutcracker

I think that I may have seen The Nutcracker as a kid. Then, I did not see it again for many years. One year, I was living in Lubbock during the holidays while my Marine was off training, and my dad asked me if I wanted to go with him. We got dressed up, andContinue reading “The Nutcracker”